Indian Team to Visit Belgium Ahead of Mehul Choksi’s Bail Hearing Amid Extradition Efforts

India is dispatching a multi-agency team to Belgium ahead of fugitive Mehul Choksi’s bail hearing next week, intensifying efforts to secure his extradition in the PNB fraud case

A multi-agency Indian delegation is set to travel to Belgium in the coming days to assist in legal proceedings related to the extradition of fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi. The move comes ahead of Choksi’s bail hearing, scheduled for next week in a Belgian court.

Choksi, wanted in the ₹14,000-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case, was arrested in Belgium on Sunday following an extradition request from India, supported by two non-bailable warrants issued in 2018 and 2021 by a Mumbai court.

Choksi’s legal team, led by advocate Vijay Aggarwal, has confirmed plans to move a bail plea on medical grounds, citing that the businessman is undergoing treatment for cancer.

“An appeal will be filed. During the appeal process, we will request that he not be detained and be allowed to contest extradition outside of prison,” Aggarwal told CNN-News18.

Aggarwal indicated that the defence would rely on recent rulings from UK courts that questioned conditions in Indian jails. He referenced the Sanjay Bhandari case, in which London’s High Court observed that Indian prison conditions may expose detainees to “extortion and violence.”

“Generally, there are two grounds – that it is a political case and that the client’s human rights will be affected,” Aggarwal added.

Belgium’s Justice Department confirmed receiving an official extradition request from India. The arrest is part of India’s continued efforts to bring back economic fugitives.

Choksi was granted Belgian residency in November 2023 and had reportedly relocated to the country in March this year.

Mehul Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi are accused of defrauding Punjab National Bank of over ₹14,000 crore by using fraudulent Letters of Undertaking. In 2019, Choksi was declared a Fugitive Economic Offender by Indian authorities.

Since then, Indian agencies including the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) have pursued his extradition.

The outcome of the bail plea and subsequent extradition proceedings will be closely monitored by Indian authorities. The multi-agency team is expected to provide legal and diplomatic support during the process.